Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 15

Minneapolis LocalFamily ComicsTV-Radio 1B Wednesday June 2a 1976 City man named pca lets transportation department chief Robert Vttvt7 -CI JSPN 'ifeJf By Steven Dornfeld and M. Howard Gelfand Staff Writers R. James Harrington, a Minneapolis official who has been responsible for managing the city's two ailing development districts, was chosen Tuesday by Gov. Wendell Anderson to head -the new Minnesota Department of Transportation (DOT). Harrington, now assistant city coordinator and director of environmental control, will begin his new state job Aug.

1. In it, he will have the responsibility for organizing the newly created department and preparing a comprehensive, long-range state transportation plan before July 1, 1978. The DOT was created by the Legislature in 1976 after similar legislation failed in four previous sessions. The new department will have all duties and functions of the existing departments of highways and aeronautics, and some transportation-related functions now performed by the Public Service Commission and the State Planning Agency. Harrington, 38, of 2100 W.

21st. has been assistant city coordinator since April 1975. Before that, he served as executive director of the Minneapolis Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and worked in an architectural and planning firm. Aides to Anderson indicated yesterday that Harrington was selected because of his planning background and because he has no ties to either highways or transit, two interests that are certain to be competing within the new DOT. Smith Steve Simon is a bright, young Minneapolis attorney who is relatively conservative about his life, except for one thing.

He's an ultimate, consummate, but stylish White Castle freak. The 33-year-old lawyer has credentials to be the King of the White Castle, including the most recent: On April 10, he was married to Beryl Nord, a St. Paul city prosecutor. The reception was in the University Club, a classy establishment in our twin city. There were the chopped liver and ramaki and sliced melon balls.

And, on silver plates, there were 200 White Castle hamburgers. Simon takes it all very seriously. His law partner, Peter Albrecht, who shares an office at 1150 Grain Exchange, reports that clients have been offended, and almost lost, because of Simon's sensitivity to his favorite food. The White Castle pledge is on one of the walls of Simon's office, attached to a copy of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. Clients are sometimes inclined to glance at the pledge and say: "Who can stand those gut bombs?" At which point, Albrecht physically restrains his partner.

For Simon, it's a matter of inheritance. "My father was a devotee and he got me started at age 3," said the lawyer. "As a child, my idea of heaven was to accompany my father on a trip to the White Castle." It's not a matter of gorging oneself on the hamburgers, said Simon. In his 30 years of eating them, he only once has gone too far, He ate 18 at one sitting. "In no way, is that a record." said Simon.

"I've heard tales of up to 30 at one sitting." It's not that Simon doesn't know any better. Both he and his wife are practicing gourmets. They frequent restaurants that specialize in exotic and imaginative food, and they have been known to stay up all night preparing such dishes at home. And Simon approaches a White Castle with the attitude of a gour- Smith continued on page 2B Staff Photo by Kent Kobersteen Bjorkman plays Joplin Roy Bjorkman Sr. played classical ragtime by Scott Joplin for.

a noon crowd Tuesday in the IDS Crystal Court. His appearance, which will be repeated today from noon to 1 p.m., was part of the summer mini-feslival coordinated by the Downtown Council of Minneapolis. Bjorkman, 83, retired from his collet Mall women's apparel store recently. Trust plans program for aiding small towns Anderson appoints Durda, St. Cloud man to judgeships utility start site preparation By Dean Rebuffoni Staff Writer The citizens' board of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) voted unanimously Tuesday to allow a utility to begin preliminary site preparation for a proposed electric-generating plant near Grand Rapids, Minn.

The PCA board had been urged by two environmental groups not to authorize the preliminary work. The groups contend that the board's action violates state law because an environmental impact statement on the over-all plant project has not been completed. Minnesota Power Light Co. proposes to build a 500-megawatt, coal-fired plant adjacent to its existing Clay Boswell power plant at Cohasset, five miles northwest of Grand Rapids. The prdposed plant is urgently needed, the Duluth-based utility has said, to produce electricity for new tac-onite mining and processing facilities under construction in northeastern Minnesota.

The state's Environmental Quality Council (EQC) decided in April to allow the utility to begin preliminary site preparation for the proposed facility. But the EQC acted reluctantly, and warned that the utility's proposal ultimately could be rejected by state regulatory agencies such as the PCA if it is shown that the project could cause environmental harm. In addition to securing the EQC's go-ahead, the utility also had to get the PCA board's authorization for limited, preliminary work. That work will include laying of the new plant's foundation, some excavation and installation of sanitary facilities, Minnesota Power Light has said. The state is preparing the impact statement, and that document will be used by state agencies to determine whether to issue permits the utility will need to construct and operate the new power plant.

Spokesmen for the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) and a new environmental group, Society Concerned About a Ravaged Environment (SCAR E), indicated yesterday that they might sue to stop the preliminary work. The PCA board's action does not preclude the agency from later requiring the utility to take additional steps to prevent environmental harm at the new plant. SOUTHDALE TUNIC TWOSOME a cool bit of finesse in fluid polyester knit with soft tie, cap sleeves, swingy skirt. In beige or peach floral or multi-colored paisley. 8-16 25.00 wim 1 17 I Associated Press Chester Durda, a former judge who left the bench to run for Hennepin County attorney, was named to a new judgeship Tuesday by Gov.

Wendell Anderson. Anderson also named Richard Ahles, 34, the St. Cloud city attor-. ney, to another judicial post. Durda, 47, was named to succeed Hennepin County District Judge Rolf Fosseen, who has reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Fosseen steps down June 30 after 29 years on the district court. Durda presently is a special judicial referee for Hennepin County Dis- trict- Court. He was named a dis--- ning its restoration project. Now, she said, "all are filled and there is a waiting list for vacancies." Cazenovia, N.Y., population 3,031, had a similar story, Ms. Means said.

In Medina, Ohio, population 13,700, "a successful restoration project has kept the old shopping area surrounding the town square competitive with nearby regional malls," Ms. Means said. The national trust, a private organization with 120,000 members nationwide and about 3,500 in Minnesota, has been promised a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts for its project, Restore continued on page 2B By Harley Sorensen Staff Writer Inspired by the success of three small towns that revitalized themselves by restoring their downtown areas, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has embarked on a program to help other small towns do the same thing. The national trust's program was revealed Tuesday by Mary Means, a region field director for the trust who was in Minneapolis to address the 63rd annual meeting of the Garden Club of America. According to Ms.

Means, Marshall, population 7,253, had a dozen vacant shopfronts before begin R. James Harrington The DFL governor also may have been influenced by two leading Minneapolis DFLers, former Mayor Albert Hofstede and Alderman Richard Miller, a former Anderson aide. Harrington has been close to both. The DOT legislation did not establish a salary for the post of commissioner. Anderson said he will recommend that the state Personnel Board establish one comparable to the $38,000 a year Harrington is receiving in his present post with the city.

Anderson aides indicated that Frank Marzitelli, the present highway commissioner, is likely to be offered a position as assistant corn-mi i of. transportation in charge of hiehway operations. Marzitelli, a former city administrator DOT continued on page 5B Hrict judge by Anderson in Septem her 1973 but resigned 1974 to run unsuccessfully for Hennepin County attorney. Durda lost that race to Republican Gary Flakne, the current county attorney. Durda lives in Golden Valley.

Ahles was named to succeed Coun-" Judge John Lang, 69, St. Cloud, who will retire July 31 because of disability. Uing has served as a judge for. .15 years and currently serves thir'She'rbume-StearnS-Ben--ton district of tbe county court sys--tern. i.

Ahles was in private, practice in St. Cloud from 1967 to 1971,. when he became city attorney. 2. 27 15.

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